Man Who Had Joliet Township Murder Conviction Overturned Attacks Walmart Shopper, Charged With Battery: NLPD

NEW LENOX, IL — A Joliet man who had a murder conviction overturned last year in Will County Court faces new charges following an incident at Walmart, according to New Lenox police reports.

New Lenox police were called just before 7 p.m. Sunday to the New Lenox store for a battery complaint. The victim told police that he had been approached by a man in a mask and a hood while shopping. Despite the mask, the victim could identify the man as Anthony Francimore.

Francimore allegedly went to punch the victim, and the two fought before Francimore fled, according to police reports. The victim suffered scratches to their face, according to reports.

Francimore later arrived at the New Lenox Police Department, where he was charged with aggravated battery and taken to the Will County Jail.

A Will County jury in October 2023 convicted Francimore of felony first-degree murder and armed robbery, a verdict he later appealed and won in May 2025. He had been arrested in connection with the murder of Nathan Ballard in October 2018, and remained in the Will County Jail for nearly six and a half years.

Filing the appeal paperwork from behind bars, Francimore represented himself in May 2025, with a public defender present as standby counsel, Patch previously reported. Francimore blamed his attorney at the time for his conviction, saying he had wanted to testify on his own behalf and his attorney had prevented it. A judge ruled in Francimore's favor, and ordered that Francimore's murder conviction and armed robbery conviction be dismissed.

For his January 2026 arrest, Francimore remains in Will County Jail as of Tuesday morning, with a court date set for 1:30 p.m. Jan. 13.